Unlikely Friendships
by Cornish Pixie 24
Summary: Grace Elwin is a vampire and someone like her shouldn't be associated with low-life mortals, but when she finds unlikely friendship in the Frog brothers and new boy Sam Emerson, things start to quickly fall apart. When Grace is forced to choose between her new friends and her family, death is inevitable, but in the end she will be the one who determines who lives and who dies.
1. Prologue

A young girl span around desperately, scanning the pier for something or someone, her short red skirt fanning out around her and twirling with her. Tears ran down her pale cheeks and her flaming red hair fluttered around her, blown by the wind. She was pretty, with green eyes and bright red lipstick that matched her hair, which came just past her shoulders in gentle waves. Her distress was obvious, but her eyes soon fell upon two middle aged men. She rushed forwards and grabbed one of their arms, ignoring the faint smell of alcohol and body odour.

"Please, sir, you have to help me!"

One of them turned around in surprise and when his eyes fell upon the pretty teen he smirked, "What's up, sweetheart?"

If it were possible, the girl didn't seem to notice the way that the men's eyes raked up and down her body, staring at the low cut black vest top she had on under her leather jacket. She seemed oblivious though and the thought of the danger that could befall her in this situation did not cross her mind.

"Oh god, well you see I can't find my little brother anywhere! He ran off earlier and I haven't seen him since." The girl said in a rush, her breathing rapid and panicked.

The other man smiled at her, "Well of course my friend and I would love to help."

"Oh, thank you!" The girl gushed as she practically dragged the men by the arms over to an alleyway. "I think I saw him go in here!"

The men gave each other a look and the glee was obvious in their eyes. This was just _too_ easy.

The distressed teen continued to drag them until they had gone slightly further into the alleyway, and the noise from the pier barely reached them. When she saw that it was a dead end, she stopped in confusion.

"Oh. Well I swear he went in here, I suppose we could just try up and down the pier next." She said before turning around, only to see that the men had gotten a lot closer to her than she had expected.

They had identical smirks on their faces and one of them spoke in a low voice, "Why don't we go a bit further in, he might be hiding."

The girl looked anxious as she looked over the men's shoulders and realised that she was still close enough to the pier to hear people laughing and shouting.

"I don't think so, he's scared of the dark you see and-" She mumbled as she stepped backwards, but for every step she took, the men came a step closer.

She drew her leather jacket closer to her and made a split second. She turned quickly and ran down the alleyway, until she reached the dead end. She was trapped. Her body was tense and her shoulders rose up and down quickly, showing her laboured and frantic breathing. The men could hear her gasping for breath as she sobbed.

She heard a voice behind her, "Don't be scared, sweet cheeks, we've just got something to show you."

The men behind her laughed and the malicious sound echoed off the dirty walls of the alley way. But, after a second, the girl un-tensed her body and her breathing evened out. She stood up straight and, unbeknowst to the men behind her, her red lips formed a wicked smirk. She gave a sound that was less like a laugh, and more of an exhalation of breath in a sort of low chuckle.

"Actually, boys, I have something to show _you_."

The girl turned around, ever so slowly, and shadows covered the majority of her face. She made a singular step forwards and her smirk was then clearly visible, illuminated by the soft glow of the moon light. Any trace of tears had disappeared from her face and her once green eyes had turned a violent yellow. Just peaking out of the corner of her full, red lips were two dangerously pointed fangs and the men froze as the girl crouched slightly and opened her mouth in a long, high pitched hissing sound. Then, she pounced.

The men's screams echoed off of the walls of the alleyway, but now they were far enough away from the pier that the sounds of music and laughter drowned them out. No that it would have mattered anyway, because the noises of terror that they were making were abruptly cut off and the alley way was once again silent.


	2. Chapter 1 - Late

DING

The bell on the shop door made a loud sound as Grace pushed it open and stepped out onto the cold boardwalk. The welcome chill of winter greeted her and she clutched the brown paper bag containing the item that she had just bought closer to her body. She moved to a nearby bench and that was when she spotted the full moon that illuminated the boardwalk, and she noted idly that it looked almost magical tonight. She could just make out the darker and lighter patches on it and tonight it was a full, glorious circle. She smiled and took the book that she had bought out of the paper bag and opened it, before busying herself.

She did not know how long she had been sat there but the stiffness of her back told her it had been a rather long time. Grace looked up to see that the sky had just begun to turn different shades of orange and pink, a sign that the sun would soon be up, a sign that Grace was _late_. The vampire huffed, blowing her hair away from her eyes as she prepared for the inevitable lecture that her brother, David, would be giving her when she finally reached the cave that she called home. She closed up the book before returning it to its paper bag and setting out at a brisk pace.

It didn't take long for her to reach the cave and, as expected, the first thing she spotted was a very pissed looking David.

"I was about to send out a search party. Cutting it a bit close, don't you think?" He said dryly.

Grace shrugged with a smirk. "I got sidetracked."

A sound was heard from the far right of the cave and Grace's smile widened as she turned to see the curly head of another of her brothers, Marko.

"Not barbecued yet I see!" He joked when he spotted her.

"You wish, brother!" She replied with a laugh.

He spotted the brown paper bag in her arms and his eyebrows quirked up questioningly. "Picked up a bit of light reading, have we?"

Grace went to bury her new book in the folds of her leather jacket but Marko was faster. One second he was on the other side of the cave and the next second he had snatched the paper bag from her, tearing it off to reveal a thick book with a deep red leather cover. Grace hissed loudly in irritation and jumped quickly onto the ledge of the fountain that was in the middle of their cave. She glared as Marko opened her new possession to reveal a rather good drawing of a hastily sketched moon. It was carefully shaded and Marko closed it before looking up at Grace.

"I like it; you should go out and draw the sun next." He mocked with a smile.

"Shut up and give it back." Grace hissed from her place on the fountain.

"Nuh uh," He replied. "You'll just have to come and get it!"

Grace couldn't decide whether to grin or growl, but welcomed the challenge and she felt her teeth become longer and sharper. Her eyes turned a vivid yellow colour and she dropped down from her position on the fountain.

"One of these days, Marko..." Grace began in a low voice as she began to slowly edge towards him. "I'm going to stake you in your sleep. That's a _promise_."

Marko smirked as he matched her steps and moved away from her, "Ooh, I'm _so_ scared."

A grin broke out on Grace's face as the chase began and the two vampires rushed around the cave, laughing and hollering. They jumped over the steps that David was sat on and over the fountain, causing general chaos as they yelled and jeered. Marko held the book up triumphantly throughout the chase and mocked Grace at every opportunity.

"Ready to give up yet?" He called after a while, but no reply came.

He slowed and turned around in confusion, looking everywhere but not seeing Grace. His face broke out with a grin and he laughed.

"Is that how you want to play it then, sis?"

David smirked from his position, as he obviously knew exactly where Grace was, but Marko continued to turn around slowly in a circle. All went quiet for a second, but then the cave echoed with a cheerful laugh.

One second Marko was stood up, the next he was on the ground with a vampire sat on top of him. She had swung from a bar high up in the cave and her feet had planted firmly into his chest before he fell. On the bright side he had broken her fall, well not really the brightside for Marko, but never mind.

"Ready to give up yet?" Grace mocked in a poor imitation of Marko's voice.

"Enough." The stern voice of David broke the cheerful atmosphere and both vampires looked up.

Grace smirked again and yanked the book from Marko's hands before standing up and brushing herself down. David gestured for Marko to leave with a nod of his head and the vampire flipped himself up from the floor and shot a final look at Grace, who stuck her tongue out at him.

David raised a single finger a beckoned Grace with it, calling her over to him.

"You had enough to eat tonight?" He asked and Grace grinned at his concern before sitting down on the step below him.

"Yep, this skirt is always a good perv magnet." The younger vampire replied as she smoothed out the rather short red skirt that she was wearing.

David nodded before he spoke again, "Just be careful with those creeps."

"Pfft, you think a couple of old rapists could take me down? Though your concern really is touching, brother." She mocked and David growled at her.

"Go and get some sleep." He ordered, gruffly.

Grace nodded and jumped up before putting two fingers to her head and flicking her wrist towards David in a mock salute. She then turned and flounced away.

"Boys, I'm home!" She yelled before disappearing down the passage to their sleeping area.

David sighed and stood up, following the girl as he disappeared into the shadows, just before the sun lit up the sky.


	3. Chapter 2 - Interesting Introductions

Grace's eyes snapped open and she stretched her arms out from their folded position on her chest. They clicked at least once and she turned her head left and right to see if the other boys were awake yet. It appeared that David was the only one missing and she unhooked her feet from the bar that she was hanging from. The ground rushed up to meet her and at the last second she flipped forwards, landing on her feet.

Boredom gnawed at her and she groaned, "Where's Marty when you need him."

After deciding that playing with her toy was probably the best way to cure her boredom, she walked out of their sleeping area and into the main cave before she turned off into another small room that had only a bed in it. On the bed was a dark haired boy of about sixteen. He was extremely handsome, but I suppose that was why she chose him. They hadn't turned him or anything; he was just there for a bit of fun.

He seemed to be sleeping, but Grace walked up to the bed and sat down next to him. She began to run her finger tips up and down the boy's back and he groaned before turning over to face her. His eyes, which were a beautiful shade of blue, opened sleepily and Grace wasted no time before latching her lips to his. He responded dutifully, after all he was very obedient, and they continued to kiss. It wasn't love, no it was just a bit of fun, and soon Grace began to press kisses across his face before she began to trail them down his neck. Then, the boy stiffened slightly and gave a small moan of pain as Grace's teeth slid into his neck, though it wasn't long until he relaxed and Grace was careful not to take too much blood.

A cough ruined the moment quickly and Grace retracted her fangs and looked up. Marty slumped on her and the boys that had congregated in the doorway laughed.

"Ever head of knocking?" She asked, as she stared at her brothers.

"Are you sure you're not fond of that one, Grace? You've had him quite a while." Marko asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure if we ask David nicely he could turn him for you." Paul added.

As per usual, Dwayne said nothing, but his lips quirked upward in a smirk. David was nowhere to be seen and Grace gave a short laugh before pushing Marty off of her.

"Him? Nah, he's just some light entertainment, you see I get awfully bored." Grace replied, but the boys didn't look convinced.

Grace shrugged and took Marty's head in her hands before twisting it in one swift movement. She then pulled herself off of the bed.

"I'll clean that up later." She said, and then pushed past her brothers and into the main part of the cave.

She spotted David and called to him, "Hey, am I good to go out?"

The older vampire looked at her for a second and then nodded.

Grace turned to her other brothers that were still behind her, "If you need me, I'll be getting some more books or something, maybe a comic."

"Don't go to that comic store, those Frog brothers are wacked!" Paul's voice echoed from behind her as she headed towards the boardwalk, but obviously she had no intention of following his advice; Where would be the fun in that?

Grace looked around at the array of colours in the comic book store with glee and mixes of blue, yellow, and red jumped out at her from all angles. The comics were neatly stacked all around her and she walked into the store, going directly towards the nearest stand and running her fingers over the comics that lay there.

The vampire had never really been interested in comics, as they weren't nearly as colourful or as interesting in the 1820s and 1830s when she was alive. At that time she was only a lowly servant girl in a rich household and it was not thought proper for a girl of her social standing to learn to read at all, so she hadn't. In fact it was only about fifty years ago when her brother, Dwayne, had decided to patiently teach her and, since then, reading had become a passion of hers.

The comic books all looked new and exciting, but Grace was finding it difficult to pick one out when all she could feel were two sets of eyes boring holes into the back of her head. She turned slowly, and her eyes connected with two teenage boys, who she recognised as sons of the people who owned the store, though they basically ran it themselves considering their parents didn't really do anything apart from get high. Grace waved at them flirtatiously and in return she received identical glares from the brothers, so she grinned and turned back to the comics.

She stared at the comic stand for a few more minutes, flicking through ones that looked interesting, before she heard rather off putting breathing sounds coming from behind her. She turned around and saw the brothers had come over to her.

"Something wrong, boys?" She asked.

"We want you to leave." Replied the gruff voice of the blond brother.

"That's a bit rude isn't it?"

"Don't think we haven't seen you hanging out with that gang, we know who you are." Said the darker haired boy.

"Or should we say _what_ you are." Added the first boy.

"I'm afraid you've lost me." Giggled Grace.

The brothers stood their ground, "We don't want your kind in here."

"My kind?" She asked innocently before laughing again. "Oh! You mean _girls_! Now I know you don't get many in here but that's no-"

"We _mean_ vampires." The blond growled and Grace put down the comic book in her hand and stood up straight, matching the boys' heights.

"That's a bold accusation, _boy_. But don't I at least get the right to enjoy comic books like the rest of the population?"

"No."

"What about the rule that says the customer is always right?"

"Doesn't apply if you're a vampire." Said the dark haired boy.

Grace laughed again, this was too much fun. "Now show me where it says that in the rule book."

"Leave."

Damn, those boys were _adamant_!

"Ok, ok I'm going." Grace said, holding up her hands in surrender, but she peaked over the boys' heads quickly. "Though right now I think you have more pressing matters to deal with?"

The brothers followed the girl's gaze and noticed with a yell the surfer nazi's that were beginning to run off with more of their stock. They sent a final glare at Grace, before running after them in hot pursuit.

Grace smiled again and walked over to the counter where the boys' parents were passed out. She saw a piece of paper and pulled the pencil which she had been using in her art book out of a pocket in her jacket and she wrote a few words before bringing the paper to her lips, leaving a bright red lipstick mark. Grace then put the paper down and flounced out of the store and into the night.

In a few minutes, when the Frog brothers returned with their comics retrieved, they would go over to the counter and stiffen as they read the note that was left there by the mysterious red headed girl.

 _ **This has been so much fun! I'll see you at the same time again tomorrow, boys? Or maybe you can come over to mine and we can grab a bite, I'm starving! ;)**_


End file.
